A blog on homeopathy -- Ruminating on Remedies

Now what?

3/5/2023

"I have taken my homeopathic remedy. Now, what can I expect to happen?"

Well, that depends. Today, we’ll talk about what to look for in an acute illness after taking a well-indicated remedy.

Generally speaking in homeopathy, a person suffering an acute ailment should be feeling a little better in a short amount of time and significantly better within 24 hours. We’re not looking for perfection, remember… we are looking for improvement or, “moving in the direction of cure” is the homeopathic terminology.

In terms of an acute illness, if after a few doses you are not feeling any improvement, there’s a good chance it is not the correct remedy for this immediate situation. Once again, we’re not looking for perfection.

If we’re not looking for perfection, what are we looking for?

Let’s use a stomach bug as an example, since it's going around these days. (See Nobody Needs a Nasty Nauseating Norovirus for some remedy ideas.) With our pretend bug, our pretend symptoms are:

headache
nausea with loss of appetite
burps
stomach pain
loose stools, feeling like full blown diarrhea is on the way
dizziness
chilly
irritable

A general rule of thumb in an acute illness is to repeat the remedy every 15-20 minutes for an hour. After that hour is up, re-assess. There should be some level of improvement, even if it's small.

What do we want to see happening with our stomach bug sufferer after taking some Nux vomica, which seems to be a pretty good fit for these symptoms? We want to see something shift in a positive direction.

We want to see the headache lessen a bit and the mood to lift.
We want to see the nausea ease up a bit and maybe be interested in entertaining the idea of some food again some day.
Burps, which were very sour and very frequent and even a little painful, are now a little less sour and not quite so frequent and they no longer hurt.
The tender, sore stomach is a little less tender and those waves of pain are now coming every few minutes instead of being constant.
The loose stools have ceased and diarrhea no longer feels imminent.
The dizziness which was constant is now only once in a while.
The blanket you couldn’t bear to part with is now just covering your still chilly feet after the rest of you has warmed up a little.

See what I mean? Not perfection, but definite improvement. Maybe not everything lifts all at once, but some of these symptoms should be heading in the right direction.

Now that things are improving a bit, back off the frequency of taking the remedy. Now, take it maybe once an hour, or if and when the symptoms return. If you find yourself snuggling under that blanket again or the sour burps are returning, it’s time to repeat the remedy, regardless of timing.

One of the best indications that a remedy is headed in the right direction is that the person feels better in themselves: they are less grumpy, or their energy picks up a bit, or their concentration improves. These can be subtle changes, so keep an eye out for them. For example, our stomach bug sufferer — they may still be feeling a little nauseous but they are now able to concentrate on that book or movie. These improvements in the mental and emotional arena are very good indications that the remedy is a good fit for the current situation.

If the symptoms change, it may be time to find a new remedy. Some acute illnesses require “chasing” the symptoms which requires sequential remedies.

Remember… improvement, not perfection is what we’re after.

Julia Coyte, CHom
Classically Practical homeopath

#wellnessawaits

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Nobody needs a nasty, nauseating norovirus

2/24/2023

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With working from home and on-line school, we have been off the hook on the norovirus for a couple of years and now that we are resuming normality, this icky bug is rearing its ugly head again.

According to headlines this week, cases have risen by 34% in two weeks in the UK and cases are up 30% over last year in parts of the US, too.

I had a call the other day from a mom whose young daughter was sent home from school after going to the nurse’s office a few times in one day feeling nausea. When she went to pick her up, the nurse informed her that the Norwalk virus was going around the school. The girl was nauseous, but she still had an appetite, and sometimes she had a headache. Homeopathic Phosphorus 30c is what I suggested and she soon felt a little better. The report that evening was that she had a thorough bowel evacuation and she was feeling much better by the next morning. (At the time of writing this, the rest of her family didn’t catch it.) At the same time I learned of this little girl, another pre-schooler I know spent the weekend in and out of the hospital getting IV fluids. It’s not a fun bug, that’s for sure.

What is this norovirus? This is the disease you sometimes hear about in the news -- the nasty sickness which grips entire cruise ships. Highly contagious stuff that is commonly spread through contaminated food, water and surfaces as well as close contact — that’s a perfect recipe for sickness on a cruise ship. (Which reminds me of the one cruise we took when our kids were little where our youngest at the time actually licked the railing in the elevator! By some miracle, he did not get sick. Phew!)

According to the Mayo Clinic, a norovirus infection can cause severe vomiting and diarrhea that starts suddenly and is highly contagious. Symptoms kick in within 12-48 hours after exposure and usually last for 1-3 days. Most people recover completely without treatment, but some people (the young, the old and those with other medical conditions) may require medical attention.

So, what are the common symptoms?

Nausea. Vomiting. Stomach pain or cramps. Watery or loose diarrhea. Feeling ill. Low-grade fever. Muscle pain. Norwalk is a (relatively) new name for what we all remember as “the stomach flu,” even though it has nothing to do with influenza.

Seek medical attention if the diarrhea doesn’t stop or there is severe vomiting, bloody stools, stomach pain or dehydration.

Conventional medicine really has nothing to offer for this disease. So, then, what does homeopathy have to offer?

Arsenicum album is one of the first remedies to consider when there has been any sort of food “poisoning.” Weakness. Thirsty for small sips. Chilly. Coming out both ends at the same time. Stool may be burning and very offensive. Even tiny sips of water may cause vomiting.

Ipecac non-stop nausea — nothing gives any relief, not even vomiting. Lots of saliva with the nausea.

Mag phos is a good one to remember if there is a lot of cramping pain. Sour vomiting. Hiccups, even with vomiting. Diarrhea with abdominal pain.

Nux vomica is another go-to for nausea and vomiting, as well as food “poisoning.” There may be irritability and there may be the need or urge but nothing is coming out — retching.

Phosphorus, as mentioned above, is a good one. Symptoms which may point to Phosphorus: Similar to Arsenicum album in that drinking small amounts of water may lead to vomiting and it, too, also has burning pains. Diarrhea may be very watery or full of mucous. The unusual symptom here is that the appetite remains.

Podophyllum for explosive, painless diarrhea. Very weak after the diarrhea. Excellent choice for infants with diarrhea.

Sulphur has some nasty smelling diarrhea. Very thirsty for cold drinks. Insecure rectum — be careful with those toots! Nausea.

Veratrum album has a cold sweat with the diarrhea and vomiting. Very thirsty for cold water and may crave sour things. Burping and heartburn. Another insecure rectum remedy. Vomiting is violent and forceful, as is the copious diarrhea which is acidic.

What to do after emptying your system? In addition to replenishing your fluids (and having some nice cups of my favorite… bone broth), try some China officinalis to help your body regain its equilibrium.

These remedies, if chosen wisely and taken quickly enough, might just nip the whole thing in the bud and you might just escape the whole nasty business.

Julia Coyte, CHom
Classically Practical homeopath

#wellnessawaits

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Now what?

Nobody needs a nasty, nauseating norovirus

Julia Coyte, CHom

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